New York’s radical experiment to replace police with social workers on 911 calls is crashing and burning, yet the city’s incoming mayor still pushes this dangerous agenda that puts citizens at risk.
Story Snapshot
- NYC’s B-HEARD program diverts only 16% of eligible mental health calls to social workers
- Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani continues pushing failed social worker response despite evidence
- Program plagued by staffing shortages, limited hours, and poor integration with 911 dispatch
- Traditional police response still handles majority of crisis calls due to program failures
B-HEARD Program Shows Dismal Performance
NYC’s Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division launched in 2021 with grand promises to revolutionize crisis response by sending social workers instead of police to mental health emergencies.
The reality tells a different story. Official data from NYC Health + Hospitals reveals the program diverts merely 16% of eligible calls, leaving the vast majority of mental health crises to traditional police response.
This spectacular failure undermines the entire progressive narrative about reimagining public safety through social work intervention.
Operational Failures Expose Idealistic Planning
The B-HEARD program operates in limited neighborhoods during restricted hours, creating a patchwork system that fails when citizens need help most. Staffing shortages plague the initiative while poor integration with 911 dispatch systems creates dangerous delays in emergency response.
These operational challenges demonstrate the gap between progressive policy dreams and real-world implementation, where lives hang in the balance during crisis situations requiring immediate professional intervention.
Mamdani Doubles Down Despite Evidence
Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani refuses to acknowledge the program’s failures, instead calling for expansion and overhaul of the troubled initiative.
His persistent advocacy for social worker-led crisis response ignores mounting evidence that the current model cannot handle the complex realities of emergency situations.
Mamdani’s ideological commitment to defund-the-police policies prioritizes progressive credentials over public safety, leaving vulnerable New Yorkers without adequate emergency protection when they need it most.
The disconnect between legislative ambition and program reality creates a dangerous situation where families cannot rely on effective emergency response.
Mental health crises require immediate professional intervention, yet the failed B-HEARD model leaves most calls to overwhelmed police officers who lack specialized training.
This system fails everyone involved while progressive politicians claim victory despite overwhelming evidence of program inadequacy.
Public Safety Concerns Mount
The program’s poor performance raises serious questions about public safety when ideological priorities override practical emergency response needs. Police face continued pressure to handle mental health situations without proper resources, while social workers remain under-resourced and unable to meet demand.
Families worry about receiving appropriate care during emergencies, as the failed pilot program demonstrates the risks of replacing proven emergency response systems with untested progressive alternatives that sound good but fail in practice.
This failed experiment serves as a cautionary tale about progressive policies that prioritize ideology over results, leaving citizens to bear the consequences of poorly planned government programs that cannot deliver on their promises.
Sources:
Zohran Mamdani wants social workers responding to 911 calls — but test program is already failing
